Trump 0-2 | What We Know about Ryan Wesley Routh
Trump 0-2 | What We Know about Ryan Wesley Routh
Just eight weeks pass before there was a second attempt on former President Trump, but this time there is a tresure trove of information on the shooter
I know elections can be wild but I never expected that during this election cycle we would be dealing with one assassination attempt much less two.
On Sunday afternoon, at approximately 2 pm, right when I was settling in with my husband at the movie theater to watch “Am I Racist?” — totally recommend you go watch it, it is uncomfortably hilarious — the news broke that there was a second assassination attempt on the life of former President Trump while he was golfing at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
I set my cellphone to the lowest light setting and hooding my phone with my hand I did my best to quickly scan the feeds. From what I am able to decode the reports were conflicting. On one hand right leaning accounts that I follow immediately suspected that the “shots fired in the vicinity” of Trump were likely another assassination attempt while news reports said otherwise. For example, the New York Post initially reported, "Two people exchanged gunfire outside of Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach." Clarifying that "The shooters were targeting each other, and the gunfire was not targeting Trump," according to their source.
Many pointed out that this was odd, considering the area of West Palm Beach is not exactly known for having random shootouts in the streets. Although the Palm County jail is nearby, perhaps something happened there with a prisoner?
It wasn’t until after 3 p.m. that the media confirmed the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) was reporting a second assassination attempt on Trump’s life. They, along with the FBI and local law enforcement, would be holding a press conference. Thankfully the movie let out just in time for me to watch the press conference at home.
Following the press conference, the media identified the shooter as Ryan Westly Routh. Once the assailant was named, it quickly became clear that the details about this would-be assassin differed significantly from those of the shooter in Butler, Pennsylvania, just eight weeks prior.
Unlike the first assassination attempt, the would-be assassin was captured alive and appeared in federal court yesterday morning. He entered wearing teal jail scrubs, handcuffed and shackled at the ankles, smiling and laughing several times while speaking to his court-appointed attorney. He was charged with gun violations, which included possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Fox News reports that additional federal charges are possible, but the charges presented today "will keep him in jail."
In addition to being arrested alive, Routh appears to have had colorful past, a pretty extensive social media footprint and a moderately visible public profile, which gives us some insight into the motives or, at minimum, mindset of the attempted assassin.
Unsurprisingly the legacy media is shying away from these details and are placing much of the blame on Trump. Talk about victim blaiming.
Since the media often struggle to report the news objectively, I will summarize the timeline of events surrounding the assassination attempt, what has been uncovered about the would-be assassin so far, which provides insights into his mental state and possible motives. If you are also interested in how the media has covered and responded to this incident, please listen to Episode 9 of Campaign Games.
So, first what do we know about the assassination attempt?
The Timeline
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Routh's cellphone data tracked him near the tree line of Trump International Golf Club as early as 1:59 a.m. on Saturday a full twelve hours before the USSS would spot him.
Much of the golf course's perimeter is enclosed by chain-link fencing and thick hedges along the busy public roads that border the course. It is reported that Routh was hiding in the hedges along S. Congress Ave. near hole 6.
In what can only be described as a sniper's nest, he had with him an AK-47-style rifle equipped with a scope, a GoPro camera, and two backpacks carrying ceramic plates that were hung on the fence for protection. These plates serve as a more affordable alternative to Kevlar for bullet protection. It’s reported that the shooter was hiding about 300 yards away from Trump at the time of the shooting.
The Shooting
As Secret Service agents scanned the area ahead of Trump, they noticed the muzzle of a rifle protruding from the chain-link fence near the 6th hole. At that moment, one of the agents decided to fire in the direction of the muzzle. Trump was on the 5th hole when the agent fired, prompting his security detail to tackle him to the ground and swiftly evacuate him from the area.
It was about 1:30 pm when the West Palm Beach Police Department was notified by USSS of shots fired.
The Aftermath
Routh escaped and jumped into his black Nissan SUV in an attempt to evade arrest. However, a good Samaritan who heard the gunshots and saw Routh flee was able to provide officers with a description, including details about the vehicle he drove off in and its license plate number.
By about 2:00 pm, Trump’s campaign communications director, Steven Cheug, released a statement stating, "President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time."
Shortly after, Trump issued a statement to reassure the public that he was well and that he would not be intimidated by these attempts on his life.
The Arrest
It was approximately 4:30 pm when the shooter was arrested in Martin County along I-95 headed north near SW Martin Hwy, in Palm City, approximately 45 minutes away from Trump International Golf Course.
At 4:42 pm, the FBI announced that agents were investigating "what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump."
Informing the Public
At 5:17 pm, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw held a press conference along with representatives from the FBI and USSS and revealed the details of the shooting. Sheriff Bradshaw reported that the shooter did not get a shot off at USSS, and it was only the agent who fired on the shooter after he spotted the muzzle of the rifle in the bushes.
When reporters inquired about Trump’s protection detail, considering there was an attempt on his life barely two months ago, Bradshaw indicated Trump’s security detail was lighter than President Biden‘s because he is not the sitting commander-in-chief.
"At this level that he is at right now, he’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded. But because he’s not, security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible," Bradshaw said.
"I would imagine that the next time he comes to a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter. But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done," the sheriff said.
During a press conference, law enforcement officials announced that the suspect had been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, a resident of Hawaii and a registered Democrat. According to the Associated Press, Routh lived in North Carolina for most of his life before relocating to Kaaawa in 2018.
An archived version of the company’s webpage indicates that he and his son operated a business in Hawaii focused on building tiny homes.
Shooter’s Son Makes Statement to Daily Mail
The Daily Mail was able to track down the son of Routh Oran Routh, for comment, he expressed disbelief at the allegations against his father, stating he had not heard that his father was involved in any assassination plot. "This was the first I heard about it," the 35-year-old told DailyMail.com, wondering if his father had been shot or injured during the incident. He emphasized that his father is not a violent person. To his knowledge, his father has only had minor interactions with the law and was shocked by the suggestion that he would target President Trump, a figure that both he and his father reportedly dislike."My dad hates Trump, as any reasonable person does," he added, reaffirming his belief that violence isn't in his father's character.
The Aftermath
The Associated Press released a photo of Routh’s home. In the driveway, a pick-up truck with a Biden-Harris campaign sticker on the tailgate is pictured. This and the 19 donations he made to the Democrats are further evidence of his support for the Democratic presidential campaign.
This detail not only confirms his political alignment but maybe just maybe he took the warnings from Bidena and Harris that Trump was a threat to our democracy to heart.
Response from Leadership
This is now the second assassination attempt on Trump's life, and one would expect statements to be issued by leaders in the U.S. government. Especially by our president, Joe Biden—if you’ve forgotten, he’s still alive—and Kamala Harris, the Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate. They did release the usual statements condemning political violence, but nowhere in their comments was there a call to lower the temperature in our political discourse or an acknowledgment of their contribution to the rising tensions.
It was Harris’ initial statement which was posted on X at 3:49 pm, almost an hour after news reported the second assassination attempt on Trump’s life, that was the weakest. How did former president Obama respond? He didn’t he simply reposted Harris’ weak post. And where was Biden, our current president, after an hour had passed since the assassination attempt was made public? No where. No statement.
Almost another five hours would go by before he issued a statement at 8:50 p.m.
The lack of clear, immediate condemnation from Democratic leaders may suggest that they simply do not care that this is now the second attempt on the life of their political opponent. Perhaps they are more concerned about how this incident, where he again becomes a victim of the dangerous political climate they contribute to, might negatively affect their campaign. As a result, they may prefer not to draw too much attention to the assassination attempt.
The Next Day
On Monday afternoon, the USSS held a second press conference, revealing that Routh had previously come to the attention of the FBI. This was due to a 2019 incident in which they received a tip alleging that he was in possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. The FBI investigated this tip but could not confirm the initial information at the time, leading them to pass the details to local law enforcement in Hawaii, where Routh was living. They also clarified that Routh never fired a shot and that Trump was never in his line of sight.
While law enforcement took its time to reveal facts about the shooter, internet sleuths and the media have been digging through Routh’s profiles. This is what has been found.
The Shooter's Profile
The first to report on an image of the shooter was by Fox News and NY Post columnist Karol Markowicz at 4:56 pm.
Once the image was released and the identity of the shooter was revealed, there was a race to learn more about Routh.
Social Media Profiles
All of Routh’s social media profiles have since been pulled; however, the internet managed to capture some of the most interesting portions of his social media footprint, and since X was the last to pull his profile, the account Apple Lamps archived Routh’s entire X feed.
A quick scan of Routh’s X posts and it was clear that something was off with this guy. His posts were all over the place and primarily focused on foreign policy specifically the war in Ukraine and some anti-Israel posts.
For example in Feburary 2022 he begins a post with "#Biden" and calls for Biden to put all U.S. military on paid leave so that they can fight for Ukraine as civilians. Because the billions of dollars the U.S. is supplying to Ukraine I suppose wasn’t enought for this guy.
In multiple posts, he declared that he was prepared to fight and die for Ukraine and encouraged others to do the same, declaring Putin was evil and must be killed and Moscow made rubble.
In one post, he acknowledges he supported Trump in 2016, but by 2020, he was expressing disappointment in Trump’s presidency, calling him "retarded" and saying that he would be glad when Trump is "gone."
He also changed his mind about Tulsi Gabbard. Nine days before Gabbard withdrew her candidacy during the 2020 presidential primaries, Routh posted about his support for her due to her understanding of the "horrors of war."
However, according to Apple Lamp’s archive — which unfortunately does not have dates, grrr— he attacks both Gabbard and Trump as supporters of Putin.
@TulsiGabbard You are an idiot----why don't you go and Join Putin and trump and be their third leg Please leave my Hawaii---You embarrass me. Shut your stupid mouth. This a war where people are getting slaughtered for no reason..| AM GOING TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR UKRAINE.
It is evident from his posts that since the war in Ukraine began, his primary focus revolved around defending democracy in Ukraine from Putin.
His X feed is littered with posts tagging media personalities and politicians from across the political aisle. At one point, he even called for Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy to join forces, which anyone following the Republican presidential primaries knows that was never going to happen.
@NikkiHaley Please join Vivek Ramaswamy as a team. of pres and vp; we must do this now to create a winning ticket now that we all can get behind. Please do not be selfish and arrogant; partner now to change the course of this election. Break norms and give us an option
Routh’s last post on X came just three days after the assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. On July 16, 2024, he urged Harris and Biden to visit the victims of Trump’s first assassination attempt in Butler, PA, while also criticizing Trump for allegedly lacking compassion towards the victims of the shooting.
@KamalaHarris You and Biden should visit the injured people in the hospital from the Trump rally and attend the funeral of the murdered fireman. Trump will never do anything for them....show the world what compassion and humanity is all about. 8084648342
The post that stood at to me and others posted just under five months ago, when Routh called for Biden to name his campaign KADAG, "Keep America Democratic and Free," expressing the threat of a Trump presidency and declaring a very familiar talking point from Democrats: "Democracy is on the ballot, and we cannot lose."
Routh also expressed his views in his self-published book, Ukraine’s Unwinnable War, in which he explicitly called for Iran to assassinate President Trump while singing praises for John Kerry's hand in the Iran Deal. In case there was any doubts about his hatred for Trump, he referred to as an idiot, accusing him of having "perpetrated" the events of January 6th.
His writings reflect the radical rhetoric of those who believe Trump poses an existential threat to democracy and echo talking points consistently promoted by Democrats and the media.
Interviews
In addition to his social media presence, Routh held a minor public profile through his appearances in videos and interviews related to the conflict in Ukraine. For instance, he participated in a video supporting the Azov Battalion, as well as video interviews with Newsweek Romania and Semafor. He was also featured in an article for the New York Times.
Azov Batallion
Routh briefly appeared in a video expressing support for the Azov Battalion in Ukraine. In the video, he participates in a rally urging President Zelensky to address the UN and request assistance for the members of Azov who are prisoners, as well as to help retrieve the bodies of fallen soldiers.
For those unfamiliar with the Azov Battalion, now known as the Azov Regiment, it was established in 2014 as a volunteer militia during Ukraine's conflict with Russian-backed separatists. The group gained attention for its military achievements in defending Mariupol but has faced criticism due to its far-right origins. Founded by individuals with connections to neo-Nazi groups, such as Andriy Biletsky, Azov has been condemned for using Nazi symbols and harboring extremist views among its members. Although it has since become part of Ukraine’s National Guard to improve its image, Azov remains a controversial topic, often debated in terms of its Ukrainian nationalism versus its far-right affiliations. But the controversial history of Azov batallion is one of those details that we are not allow to questions since the war in Ukraine began.
To make a quick detour I want to point out that accounts on X have claimed that this video was produced by Blackrock; however, there is no evidence of that, and BlackRock has explicitly stated that they have nothing to do with this video. This is after they have acknowledged that Cook, the shooter from Trump’s first assassination attempt, was in one of the promo videos.
Newsweek Romania Interview
In 2022, Newsweek Romania interviewed Ryan Routh while he was in Ukraine, hoping to join the conflict. In the interview, he wore a U.S. patriotic shirt and had dyed his hair blue and yellow, symbolizing the Ukrainian flag. Routh declared that this conflict is clearly a battle of "good versus evil." At one point during the interview, he broke down in tears while urging people to "come fight" in Ukraine.
He also shares that, due to his age, he cannot fight with the Legion, a volunteer military force formed by Ukraine that mainly consists of foreign nationals. However, he is in Kyiv to help recruit others to join the war effort, highlighting the urgent need for increased support.
New York Times
In March 2023, Routh was interviewed by the NYTimes for an article titled "Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine Who Lie, Waste, and Bicker," which focused on his efforts to recruit Afghan soldiers who fled the Taliban to fight in Ukraine.
According to the article Routh, spent several months in Ukraine in 2022, attempting to move the Afghan soldiers—occasionally through illegal means—from Pakistan and Iran. He noted that many have expressed interest, with one Afghan soldier confirming he would consider joining to escape his current situation in Iran, where he was living unlawfully. Routh pointed out that corrupt systems in Pakistan would likely facilitate the purchase of passports for this endeavor. It is unclear if he made any progress.
Semafor Interview
In a video interview with Semafor, published on March 9, 2023, Routh sits in front of the U.S. Capitol building, expressing frustration with the Ukrainian government. He criticized Ukraine’s strict policy regarding the admission of foreign soldiers, including the Afghan commandos he was trying to bring into the fight. His main concern was that Ukraine was focused on preventing spies from infiltrating the military.
Routh shared his struggles with Kyiv’s skepticism and bureaucratic roadblocks, stating that foreign soldiers often leave Ukraine after a short time due to difficulties finding units where they feel respected. He also mentioned being repeatedly "yelled at" for suggesting the inclusion of Afghan fighters, with Ukrainian officials wary of potential Russian spies.
While Routh was in Ukraine trying to recruit volunteers to join the fight against Russia, little was known about his past in the U.S., a past that includes a colorful criminal history.
Criminal History
Sunday’s incident was not Routh's first encounter with law enforcement. In 2002, Ryan Routh, 36, was arrested in Greensboro, N.C., after a three-hour standoff with police. The incident began when Routh was pulled over during a traffic stop, but instead of complying, he put his hand on a firearm and drove to United Roofing, where he barricaded himself inside. After hours of negotiations, Routh was arrested without incident. He faced multiple charges, including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a fully automatic machine gun (classified as a weapon of mass destruction), resisting arrest, and driving with a revoked license.
Over the years, Routh has had several run-ins with the law in North Carolina, dating back to at least 1990. According to North Carolina court records, his offenses include possession of stolen goods, a history of writing bad checks, and minor traffic violations. As the owner of various roofing companies, he has repeatedly been sued by individuals who accuse him of failing to pay his bills.
Conclusion
As information about Ryan Wesley Routh continues to emerge, we can expect more developments in the coming days. With the upcoming election, both political sides will likely engage in a blame game, pointing fingers at each other for creating the climate that contributed to this second assassination attempt. The media has already begun to blame Trump’s "divisive" rhetoric, with some essentially arguing that it was asking for it.
Meanwhile, critics of the left and Trump himself point out that prominent Democratic figures have a long history of consistently labeling Trump an existential threat to democracy and the primary talking point of both Biden and Harris’ campaign is that "democracy is on the ballot" a statement expressed by Routh just five months before he his in the bushes with intent to kill Trump.
The Democrats retoric, along with constant comparisons of Trump to figures like Hitler from talking heads and left-leaning media, have undeniably contributed to the heated political climate. There has been no attempt to cool the temperature only to victim shame Trump in hopes that he will keep his mouth shut and hide.
While we are lucky that Trump survived this second attempt unharmed, it is concerning that this is now the second attempt on his life in just eight weeks. There is also much speculation about who knew what and when, especially considering that this visit to the golf course was not on a public schedule, although Trump is known to golf regularly.
In the previous case involving Thomas Matthew Crooks, there was limited information available about the assailant, leaving many questions unanswered. However, Routh's active social media presence and previous interactions with law enforcement offer greater insight into his motivations.
I will continue to watch how this situation unfolds, but if you want to hear more details and some candid thoughts on the incident, the political ramifications, and the media's response, be sure to tune in to the upcoming Wednesday episode of Campaign Games.